The Portland Winterhawks have gone into the playoffs with high expectations and questions about if they can repeat like they did last season when they went all the way to the Memorial Cup Final. In the six games they have played in the post-season, the Hawks have answered with a resounding yes.

Victoria was to be a big challenge; the Winterhawks had only beaten them once all season and all signs pointed to an intensely defensive battle. The first two games have been played in Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Moda Center, and the results are polar opposite to the regular season. The Royals have found themselves in a 2-0 deficit after being manhandled by an extremely hungry Portland team.

Game one at the glass palace aka Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Friday was a physical affair, with Victoria going to the penalty box on numerous occasions after failing to control the Winterhawks high speed. Two goals in the first period and one early in the second chased Patrik Polivka from the Royals net and he was replaced by Coleman Vollrath. The Royals responded seconds later with a goal, but then three straight by the Hawks including two by Oliver Bjorkstrand, put the game out of reach. The Royals scored one more before the end of the second, but the Hawks pocketed two midway through the third to take the final score to 8-2. The game became a bit of a mess at that point with 147 total penalty minutes including a line brawl which led to Portland’s eighth goal. Victoria lost more than just their game and composure, they also lost Keegan Kanzig for at least one game on a suspension for a vicious slash that touched off the line brawl.